Cotton-picker.



R. W. IVEY.

COTTON PIOKER. APPLIOATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

4 BHBETB-BHEBT 1.

z I I a? A by Witnesses R. W. IVEY.

00mm: PIGKER. APPLICATION FILED APR.9,1912.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

4 BHBETB-BHEBT 2.

i Elf/fly, Witnesses Inventor p Attorneys R. W. IVEY.

COTTON PIGKER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Inventor Attorneys [1 Wjmg R. W. IVE Y. COTTON PIO KEB. APPLIOATION FILED APR. 9, 1912.

0 703 Patented Mar. 3, 1914 4 BHEHTS-BHBET 4.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys and for rotating UNITED STATES PrXEENT OFFICE.

aosnnr w. rvnr; or new Lennon, News canomne, Assrerron or ONE-HALF 'ro wrnnmm r. HARRIS, or VIRGILINA, vntemm.

COTTON-F101;.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 9, 1912. Serial No. 689,645.

To all whom it may cohcern Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. Iver, a citizen of the United States, residing at New London, in the wunty of Stanly and State of orth Carolina, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Picker, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for picking cotton, provide a motor propelled machine of th type having oppositely disposed heads travel along opposite sides of a row of plants. each head carrying a series of toothed'spindles havin mechanism for spindles and also showin portions of the stripping mechanismthe dine on which the section is takenbeing indicated at C-D iii Fig. 2 and the parts being turned at right angles to their positions in said Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a section on line E-F Fig. (3. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of one solies of deliverin fingers. Fig. 9 is a face view of one of t e members of the spindle rotating mechanism. Fig. 10 is a side eleva tion thereof. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of one of the cams or tappets of said mechamsin. F .12 is a face view thereof. Fig. 13 is ii si e elevation of one of the spindles.

shifting tliem toward an; away from the Fig. 14 is an en urged elevation of a portion 'Plx2llflti$ as the machine, travels along the row. thereof. Fig. 15 is a transverse section A furthor object is to provide novel means through one of the spindles.

for rotating the spindles while projected so Referring to the figures by characters" of 2 designate front and rear their centers, by

as thusjio cause the fibers, engaged thereby, reference 1 and inches connected, adjacent to be wound upon the spindles.

A further object is to provide novel means longitudinally extending parallel beams 3 for stripping t e cotton from the spindles and, at their sides b upper longitudinally extending beams 4. tub axles 5 extend laterally from the lower ends of the arches 1 and 2- and supporting wheels 6 support these axles. Sprockets Tare securedto and rotate with the stub axles of the rear wheels 6 and receive motion, through chains 8 from sprockets 9 secured to a main drive shaft 10 which is journaled out e beams 3 and 4 at the centers thereof. 'lhis shaft is adaptedto be actuated by a belt 11 engaging a pulley 12 on the shaft 10 and another pulley i3 driven by a motor 14 which is mount ed on a platform 15. This platform is supported in any suitable manner under the while said spindlesare being retracted intov the machine.

Another object is to provide simple and efficient means for reciprocating the spindlesthem when they approach each limit of" their longitudinal movement. A further object is to provide spindles having teeth of novel form connected there-' with.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com binaiion and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter debeing understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed. can he made within the scope of what is claimed. without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the acconipanyinn drawings the pre' ferred form of the invention has been another platform 16- extending under;the arch 2 at the other side thereof, the space between the two platforms and under the arches 1 and 2 being sufficient to receive 'a. row of cotton plants to he acted on by the machine.

Mounted on the front end portion of each platform 15 and 16 is a picking head including an upstanding 'front or shield plate 17 from the inner side edge of which extends a series of stopstrips 18 having opposed recesses therein forming apertures 19 for the purposehereinafter set forth. This arrangement of the retaining strips has been illustrated in Fig. 3. It is to be understood, however, that instead of utilizing a series of strips such as shown in this figure. a single plate may be employed, said plate be- In said drawinas:-Figure 1 is a plan. view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, the stripping mechanism being concealed behind the front plates. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one ofthe picking heads and of the spindles therein. Fig. 4 is a section through-the pi king head on the line A-B Fig. 2. F ig. 5 is a plan view of the spindle rotating mechanism. Fig. 6 "is a section through the front or shield plate and showing myiicligliri Hi the Shelf-t5 certain of the Patented Mar. 3, 191.4.

rear arch 2 at one side thereof, there being lid ' This shaft has a ing formed with openings located in the the openings 19. outer side of the shield plate 17 and parallel with the stop strips 18 is a stripping plate 20 having openings therein at the sides of which are formed toothed tongues 21. Parallel supporting plates 22 and 23 are located between the stripping plate 20 and the near or adjacent side of the machine and are parallel with the stripping plate. 1 supporting plates are connected together at eir upper and lower ends by end plates 24; the front ends of which extend upwardly and downwardly respectively, the front edges of the top and bottom inemhers :25 and 26 of a frame to whichthe plates 17, 18 and 20 are secured. This frame extends upwardly from the front end of the platform 15 or 16, the outer side portion of the frame being indicated at 27 in Fig. 2.

Aseries ot' shafts 28 are journaled in the holding plates 29 and 23 and are disposed in staggered relation, each of these shafts being provided, between the plates. and 23, with a grooved wheel or pulley 2:), The shafts terminate in spindles 30 which are adapted to extend through the openings in the stripping plate 20 and the stop strips 18. Each spindle 30 is split longitudinally, as shown at 31 so as to receive a plate 32 formed along opposite edges with sharp teeth the teeth along one'edge being extended" in a direction opposife to the teeth along the other edge. Grooves 34 are formed in the spindles and are overhung by the teeth, the outer faces of the teeth lying in the arc of the periphery of the spindle. The teetlron cach spindle the direction of rotation of the spindle so by the teeth and Wrapped upon the spindle.

The various pulleys on the shaft 28 of each series are engaged successively by an actuating cord 85, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, the ends of the cord being attached to the ends of a walking beam'36, the bearingblock 37 of which is mounted to slide on a shaft 38 mounted for rotation in bearings 39 carried by portions of frame 27. 38 extends at right angles to the path of movement of the machine and is provided, near its ends, with headsdO adapted to to tate with the shaft, Said heads have oppositely extending arms 4].. the outer ends of thearms being connected by parallel shifting strips 42 whichgure normally supported close to the rcspectivearms of the walking beam 36. v

Secured to one end of the shaft 88 is a head having diverging wings 44. These wings are adapted to be contacted and de-- pressed successively by cams or tappets 45 secured to and so as to lap rearwardly roach their innermost iositions rotating with a shaft 46. gear 47 secured thereto and l oeegros which receives motion through' a gear 48 from a vertical shaft 49. A gear 50 is socured to the upper end of this shaft and meshes with a gear 51 secured to the shaft 10. Thus it. will be seen that, during the rotation of shaft 10, shaft 46 will be rotated and the cams or tappets 45 one wing 4-14 and then the other Wing 44, thus rocking the shaft 38 and causing the shifting strips 42 to strike walking beam 36 successively and thus cause the cord 35 to be pulled back and forth along the pulleys 29. it will be seen that the constant rotation of the p the simultaneous rotation of the spindles 30 in one direction and then, after a pause, in the opposite direction, tation continuing throughout the operation of the machine.

The slidable structure made up of the holding plates and 23 and their connections has to and mounted to slide on a guide rod 53 secured to the frame of the machine. A .U-shaped guide 54. is secured to and extends from the yoke and straddles the block 37' of the walking beam 36.- A- S'Sdis connected to the guide 5% and en completing their the stop will strike first.

shaft 46 will result in,

this intermittent ro-' the arms of the i strips, one of the cams or tappets 45 strikes one of the Wings 44 and thereby actuates the walking beam 36 so as to rotate all of the spindles so as to cause the teeth on-the spindles to engage the cotton are furthermore so timed thatduring the retraction of the spindles into the picking head and back of the shield plate 17, the spindles Will'not rotate but, as

the other wing 4ll'will be engaged by the other cam or tappet 415 and the spindles simultaneously rotated in the opposite direction so as to cause the teeth on the spindles to pull out of the fibers engaged thereby.

'An endless conveyor 57 is mounted back of each picking head and receives motion, through a belt 58, from a. wheel 59- on shaft 46, as shown secured to shaft 10, said belt driving a Wheel or pulley 63 located at one end-of -th'e elethey apparticularly in Fig. 2. This cured to the are positioned as illustrated in nsane:

vator. The discharge end of spout 62 is located above the platform 15 or 16 and a basket or bag may be mounted on this platform at a point to receive the material dis charged from the spout- In order that the cotton may be removed from the spindles and delivered to'the conveyers 57, novel stripping mechanism has been provided. This mechanism includes a shaft '64 disposed vertically and close to the rear edge of the stripping plate 20. Se-

s'haft are fingers 65 arranged in pairs, as shown in Fig. 7, the fingers of each pair being parallel and rovided with outstanding teeth. The spindles 3O normally extend through the spaces between the teeth 21. The fingers 65 under normal conditions, lie close to and parallel with the stripping plate 20. The toothed tongues 21 on the stripping plate project between the fingers so that it will thus be seen that under normal conditions each spindle is arranged between two toothed tongues 21 and the teeth on two fingers 65. In this connection see Fig. 7 of the drawings. A crank arm (56 is secured to the upper end of the shaft or and is connected, by a link 67, to one arm of a shifting lever 68 fulcrumed on the top of the picking head. The other arm of said shifting lever terminates in a hook 69 which projects forwardly beyond the picking head and in the path of the upper projection 25 carried by the plates 22 and 23. Said hooked arm of lever 68 is also connected, by means of a link 70 to a lever 71 the free end of which projects forwardly beyond the picking head and into the path of the projection 25. A shaft 72 is arranged verticallyalong the rear edge of the series of stop strips 18 and extending horizontally from this shaft are slightly curved delivering fingers '73 preferably of different lengths, as shown particularly in Fig. 8. A crank arm 74 is secured to the Upper end of shaft 72 and is connected, by means of a link 7 5, to one arm of a lever 76 fulcrumed on the top of the picking head, the other arm of the said lever terminating in ahook 77 which is normally retractedlback of the path of the.projectionv 25. Th hooked arm'oi' lever 76 is connected by a, link 78, to a lever 79 fulcrumed on the top of the picking head and provided at its free end with a hook 80 which normally projects forwardly from the picking head and into the path of the projection 25. The normal positions of the parts have been shown in Fig. 1. With the parts thus located the stripping fingers (S5 Fig. 6 back close to and parallel with the stripping plate 20 and the delivering fingers 73 are extended across the rear face of the picking head and substantially at right angles to the I1 picking fi tongues 21 any the fibers adhering tit , been stated that as the spindles reach their outermost positions, as shown in Fig. 1, they are rotated so'that the teeth thereon will engage the cotton It has already fibers and wrap them about the spindles. As i the spindles begin tomove laterally'back into the icking heads in the manner hereinbefore esc-ribed, the projection 25 of each picking head moves past the hook 77 of lever 76 and against the hook 80 of lever 79. Said hook and lever 80 and 79 are thus shifted by the projection and link 7-8 pulls on lever 7 6 which, in turn, thrusts against the crank arm 74 through link 7:"). throwing or delivering lingers 73 are thus swung toward the inner faces of the stop strips 18 so as to assist said strips in holding back branches, leaves and other undesir-able portions during the retractionof the non rotating spindles into the picking heads. As hereinl'ielorc stated, when the spindles are brought into the picking heads they are rotated backwardly so as to tend to with draw their teeth from engagement with the fibers. During this rotation of the spindles, the projection 25 moves against the hooked arm 69 of lever 68, thereby causing said lever to push through link (57 against arm (36 and, at the same time, pull, through link 70, upon lever 71. Shaft (Set is there'tore rotated by the crank arm (16 and the toothed stri )piug fingers 65 are swung inwardly and baclnvardly to the position indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 6. These fingers thus operate to pull the loosened cotton fibers off of the-teeth on the spindles and to carry them to points above the conveyer 57. These fingers also tend to remove from the toothed fibers which may have accumulated thereon duringthe retraction of the spindles. As the spindles move outwardly again to engage the cotton fibers. the projection lever 79 and engages portion 77 of lever 76. thus shifting said lever and causing it to pull through link 75, upon crank arm 74. The deliver-mg fingers 73 are thus caused to move backto 1e positions indicated by full lines in Fig. 6 and will, during this movement," swing between the strippin fingers '65 which brought to t e position indicated lines in Fig. 6 and pull oil of the teeth all of thereto. 7 As the fibers can-not adhere to the smooth faces 'of the fingers 73. they will fall onto the conveyor 57 and be carried thereby to the elevator 60. As the projection 25 continues to move during the projection of the spindles 30 toward the plants, it comes into contact with the projecting-end of lever 71, thus causing said lever to pull, through link 70, upon lever-'68 which, in turn, pulls through link 67, crank arm 66. The stripping fingers are therefore returned to their normal positions,

the projecting hooked 25 moves past the end of the have been by dotted upon The

It is to be understood'of-eoursie that any hereinbefore stated the spindle is split longi- :dles can beof any-desired shape, it being, .necessary however, to have them pointed 'spindlei It is, furthermore, necessary that the spindle so as not to project sufliciently as indicated by full lines in Fig. 6, where- [ments for engaging the fibers while being unupon the operation hereinbefore described wrapped from the spindles, strippingfim may be repeated. gers extending close to the spindles and the stripping elements, means for shifting the said fingers while the spindles are retracted, to remove the fibers from said elements and spindles, and means for automatically delivering the fibers from the fingers and onto the conveyer.

3. A cotton picking machin'e v including spindles mounted for reciprocation, a laterally movable spindle carrying structure, a series of stripping fingers extending between the spindles, a series of delivering fin-v gers extending between-file spindles, mcans' operated by said structure when movedin one direction for successively shifting'the I stripping fingers away from the spindles-: and moving the delivering fingers between the stripping fingers. I,

4. A cotton picker including a stripping plate, spindles mounted for reciprocation within the plate, means on the'spindles for" engagingcotton fibers to wrap themabout. the spindles, means for rotating the spindles when shifted away'from the stripping plate, said spindles constituting means for conveying cotton to the stripping-plate,'oscillato-ry stripping fingers adjacent the plate for engaging the fibers, and means mounted to oscillate about a common fixed axis',-for, automatically removing the fibers tt'romsaid stripping finger-sand the s indies.

desired number of spindles 'may be used in connection with each picking head and that the two pickingheads are to be oppositely disposed so that, during the operation of the machine, the spindles of the two series will. be simultaneously projected toward each other so as to engage opposite portions of the plants in the row along which the machine is traveling. The motor lat can be utilized for propelling the machine during the actuation of the mechanism and the speed of travel so timed as to permit practically all portions of the plants to be acted on by the spindles so that no portions of the plants will be skipped. As

tudinally and receives a toothed strip. This stripcan easily be held in place by means of screws 81 or the like and, should one of the strips become wdrn or broken, it can be easily removed and. another one sub- ,stituted therefoik-QThe teeth on the spinand inclined toward the free end of. the the teeth lie in the arc of the periphery of to engage leaves and other undesirable substances which may be contacted by the spindles. By utilizing the grooves 34 back, of the teeth, the fibers are free to pass into the grooves and thus engage the teeth but it is obvious that leaves and the. like are not sufiiciently flexible to pass into the grooves andhwill not, therefore, be engaged by the teet It will be seen. that this machine is very light in construction and as its mechanism is comparatively simple it requires but little power to'ope'rate it. j

hat is claimed. is i l. A cotton picker includinga pickinghead, a series of fiber engaging spindles,1neans for "reciprocating the spindles for wrapping cotton fibers thereon and for reversing the rotation of said spindles to unwrap .the fibers'therefrom, stripping elements for engaging the fibers while being unwrapped from the spindles, stripping fingers extending'close to the spindles and the stripping elements, means for shifting the said fingers while the spindles are retracted, to remove the fibers from said elements and spindles.

2. A cotton picker including a picking head, a series of fiber engaging spindles, means for reciprocating the spindles, means for simultaneously rotating the spindles for wrapping cotton fibers thereon. and for re versing the rotation of said spindles to unwrap. the fibers therefrom, stripping eleo. A cotton picker inclu ing a stripping plate, spindles mounted for reciprocation me within the plate, means on the spindles for engaging cotton fibers to-wrap them aboutthe spindles, means for rotating the spindles 7 when shifted away from the stripping plate, 1 said spindles constituting means for convey my. ing cotton to the stripping late, oscillatory stripping fin ers adjacent t e plate for engaging the fi ers, and spaced means mounted to oscillate about a common fixed axis for-Q,

. automatically removing said fibers from the-iii; stripping fingers and the spindles; asa.eon-,, veying them laterally beyond the; patli of tha plate, spindles mounted for reciprocatio-i within the plate, means on the spindlesfor? engaging cotton fibers to wrap tliem'yabout" the spindles, means for rotating the spindles; when shifted away from the stripping plate, said spindles constituting means for:convey-.,1" t ing cotton to the stripping plate,--.movable-v-,a' j stripping fingers adjacent outstanding from the plate for engaging the fibers, and spaced means mountedfor movement about a com-j mon axis for detaching the fibers from lill'fflji stripping fingers. I 1 I A cotton picker including a strippin plate, spindles mounted for reciprocation within the. plate, means mountedtfor swing f ing inovementabout a fixedaxis foti'flljemmi' ing fiber from the spindles during the retraction of the spindles into the plate, a conveyer at one side of the path of the spindles, and means for removing fibers from said stripping means and directing them onto the conveyor, said means being mounted for oscillation about a xed axis.

8. A cotton picker including a stripping plate, cotton picking spindles mounted-for reciprocation and rotation within the plate, means movable away from the plate during the retraction of the spindles for stripping fibers from the spindles, and means mountedtor oscillation and movable between the paths of said stripping means for removing fibers from the stripping means and directing them beyond one side of the paths of the spindles.

9, A cotton picker including a stripping plate, cotton picking spindles mounted for reciprocation and rotation Within the plate, means movable away from the plateduring the retraction of the spindles for stripping fibers from the spindles, means mounted for oscillation and movable between the paths of said stripping means for removing fibers from the stripping means a and directing them beyond one side of thepaths of the spindles, a

spindle carrying structure mounted for reciprocation, and means under spindles during the control of said structure for operating the stripping and removing means in properly timed relation.

-10. In a cotton picker, the combination with a guide frame, of a structure movably mounted within the guide frame, for reci rocating said structure, ecl or rotation within and movable with said structure, means for rotating the the reciprocation of the structure, a stationary stripping plate having apertures through which the spindles extend, oscillatory means for stripping fibers from the spindles during the retraction of the spindles into the strip ing plate, oscillatory means for removing here from the stripping means and directing them laterally beyond the path of the reciprocating structure, and means under the control of means the said reciprocating structure for operat- ROBERT W. IVEY.

Witnesses Sauna Wnmsou, Ennns'r F, RILEY.

spindles mount- 

